Cacophony
by McGonagall's Bola
Summary: And again, a quarrel rose between three sides... HB/Imogen -REWRITTEN!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"I'm pretty sure that these girls don't need yet another gym lesson to 'keep fit', Imogen," Constance Hardbroom argued, arms crossed as so often and eyes shining.

"Of course it is necessary to keep their bodies in condition, so that their minds are kept clear as well for their exams in a few weeks."

"No extra gym lessons will be of much help. It wouldn't be the first time one of them gets hurt into the ridiculous route you always sketch for them deep into the woods, nor would it be a first to have them completely exhausted after so that it is even too hard to keep awake during my lessons," HB concluded. She wasn't really wrong.

Imogen opened her mouth a few times to argue back, but apparently only to gulp air, because no word came from her mouth.

"No, what the girls need is a few extra lessons of Potions, so that their exams shall go well with no huge issues, except for those anticipated," Miss Hardbroom continued, specifically thinking about one Mildred Hubble that never seemed to be able to survive any single lesson of hers without doing something wrong.

"I would think Constance is right," Miss Bat added to the conversation, popping her head from the cabinet before revealing herself fully.

HB's eyes became somewhat milder and she looked back at Miss Drill accomplished. Davina Bat usually wasn't one who agreed with the severe Potions teacher, so this could be called quite an achievement.

"I personally don't think it would be smart to have them physically exhausted with extra gym with their exams so near. I rather think what the girls need is something to cheer them up, that would make them bright and relaxed – like singing!" She said, heaving a very high pitched note that couldn't be any more off key.

HB easily made her notes unheard by one flick of her wrist. And then the bomb really burst, because all three teachers started arguing for their ideas.

Amelia Cackle's entry was found unnoticed by either of them. "Ahem." Neither of the women seemed to have heard. "Ahem," Amelia repeated somewhat louder than firstly. This seemed to do it, for all three teachers looked up at the Headmistress this time. "Please, ladies. Your arguing is easily heard at the end of the hallway. What is it about this time?" Amelia wondered, sitting herself down behind the desk in front of the window. However, as she could have guessed, all three started arguing at about the same time again. No one would have been able to distinct a word from the cacophony of voices.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

No changes were going to be made in the girls's schedule. Amelia thought this to be fair only. Miss Bat, as usual, had hidden in the wardrobe, while Miss Hardbroom – most likely to work her fury off on the girls – and Miss Drill – most likely to get some air while running into the woods surrounding the castle – had left both in disagreement. Hopefully, their bad-tempered, perhaps infantile behavior would pass in the next couple of days.

Amelia sighed, slowly opening the drawer of her desk and brightening up almost instantly as the smell and sight of cheese cake made by Mrs. Tapioca met her. All would be alright and back to normal soon.

* * *

"Mildred Hubble, are you ever going to learn how to behave here at Cackle's?" Miss Hardbroom sounded quite annoyed upon entering the little room where she brewed and taught Potions and eying Mildred sitting on one of the large wooden tables, swinging her legs back and forth childishly. What irritated strict HB even more maybe were her always loose shoe laces.

Barely one flick of the witch's wrist seemed necessary to make Mildred sit down on her chair neatly and lace up her dirty black shoes. Mildred briefly looked up at Maud and Enid, then sighed. HB was having one of her extra irritated and irritating moments again.

* * *

Miss Drill leaned against the trunk of a nearby, large tree, reaching up with one hand to hold her side. She had started running too fast, leaving her breathless and in pain quite some distance from the castle. Why couldn't she be like HB? Why couldn't she simply disappear and then reappear from nowhere somewhere completely else?

Why couldn't she be… not different? Imogen had always enjoyed teaching P.E. at Cackle's Academy, but maybe, she thought as she continued leaning against the trunk trying to catch her breath, it would be better for everyone if she quitted and taught somewhere else where she wasn't always being confronted with her lack of magic and didn't feel like an outsider of everything and everyone in her environment.

She made up her mind to think further about it later before taking one last, deep breath to run back to the castle.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

By the time Miss Drill had reached the castle again, she had managed to make up her mind about Cackle's Academy and her being hired there. Maybe she should have done this earlier.

Imogen walked into the little staff room pretty self-confident, hoping to find the Headmistress there. The P.E. teacher didn't get disappointed, as Amelia looked up at her almost instantly seeing one of her employees in need of showering.

Imogen walked over to the desk behind which the Headmistress was seated, then said, "I'm quitting. I have had enough of always being confronted with my being non-magical."

The Headmistress silently tried to apprehend what had just been said, then wondered, "Imogen, forgive me, but I can't truly believe this comes from your argument with the others earlier today only?"

"I have always been unlike any of you," she said, simply.

At that moment, Davina easily crept from her personal little atmosphere in the wardrobe. "Imogen, you aren't really leaving, are you?" She questioned, looking rather sad right then.

"I am," Miss Drill confirmed, looking up at Amelia briefly. "It isn't necessarily not being the same, but more the always being confr–"

The P.E. teacher suddenly found herself interrupted by the appearance of Constance Hardbroom right beside her, followed by a very deep sigh of annoyance and yet another rant about the girls's behavior during her utterly important Potions lessons.

"… never even think about…"

"Constance," Amelia tried.

"… feels like I'm talk–" "Constance!" HB fell silent at once before looking up at Amelia questioningly, for she usually didn't get interrupted like that.

"That's precisely what I mean," Imogen whispered, before turning around and leaving. Davina launched herself at her colleague futilely trying to keep her from walking away. She ended up lying on the dusty, old wooden parquet in tears.

Amelia and HB eyed her briefly before looking up at each other again. "Imogen just resigned," Amelia announced.

Davina unwillingly caught the attention of both witches as she slowly got up and, as anticipated, disappeared into her safe wardrobe. Loud sobs could be heard from the piece of furniture, and its unsteadiness became apparent as it seemed to sob along with its occupier, lightly wobbling back and forth. Amelia silently told herself to have Frank look at it one of these days.

"Why?" HB questioned, looking at Amelia with wide eyes.

"She's… tired of being confronted with her feeling inadequate, and surplus to requirements in this magical environment." HB didn't say anything, while trying to let it all penetrate."I would like to believe she's mostly disturbed by you, Constance."

"Me? Why?" HB uttered again, looking insulted.

"Constance, you are so overly magical… and you don't precisely try to hide it. I actually think Imogen's decision could be reversed if perhaps you would go and talk–" "And what should I say?" Constance interrupted, looking skeptically, making Amelia's suggestion sound ridiculous.

"All of the girls like her," Amelia added.

_When she's not making them run half to death, maybe._ "Alright," Constance sighed, diligently crossing her arms to disappear, when Amelia's voice sounded again.

"Constance, if I were you, perhaps you could… just… walk. I wouldn't want to upset her even more."

HB's sigh could have blown away any feather lying within two feet. She spun around swiftly, though, before heading towards the door and leaving to go find Imogen.

Amelia briefly shook when the staff room door smashed into the lock. She looked up to see the wardrobe still wobbling, and sighed before hiding her head in her hands.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

HB surprisingly found the door to Imogen's room open. She remained motionless and silent in the doorway, watching as the blonde hastily packed her belongings, carelessly throwing them into the open brown suitcase upon her unmade single bed. Within moments, Imogen then came to the decision that everything should be packed, and swiftly zipped up her suitcase before turning toward the doorway and perceiving Constance. She swallowed briefly, before lifting her suitcase from the bed and rolling it toward the hallway as if the always strict Potions teacher wasn't there at all.

However, when she ended up at the doorway and found herself next to Constance, she slowly released the handle of her heavy leather suitcase, and looked up at her former colleague. "I'm not changing my mind," she sounded. "If that's what Amelia perhaps hoped."

"Imogen, the girls..." HB started, unintentionally repeating Amelia's words.

"I have made up my decision, Constance," it sounded. "There's just something I would like to say before I go, though – something to you specifically."

HB remained silent, eyes directed straight in front of her without really looking at anything at all. She didn't look at Imogen. She wasn't going to either, she quietly told herself while waiting to hear that something specifically for her. "You always look so tough, with your trademark black, tight dresses that reach to your ankles, and don't allow any skin to be visible, and your usual high bun and dark lipstick," Imogen spoke. "You never show any kind of emotion, or kindness," she continued, making Constance Hardbroom, affronted, stutter without sound coming forth. Imogen continued. "You only do things by your own strict rules, or not. Anyone else could easily hate you for it. Anyone else but me." At that, HB's eyes almost popped from their sockets. I don't even understand this myself, but I love you. I don't even remember other times. It feels like I have had these feelings for you forever, just like I have had to suppress them, too. It is rather ironical, though. No one else could be more different from each other than the two of us," Imogen chuckled sadly, before picking up the handle again, and continuing to carry her suitcase down the stairs.

HB was left entirely aghast; too aghast even to realize Imogen had left. It only took her a couple of instants before regaining herself in the present time, though. Constance didn't think much before running down the stairs, too. She really needed to... even though she honestly couldn't think of any reason why.

Constance caught up with the former P.E. teacher near the gate. "Imogen! I–" Imogen Drill again came to a halt, looking up at the much taller woman. She leaned up to briefly touch lips with the other woman's before pulling back and looking into Constance's bewildered eyes. She started stuttering almost immediately again. It would be considered funny in any other situation. Self-confident, strict HB stuttering like that? It sure made Imogen chuckle. "Imogen... I-I'm no... I don't..."

"I'm well aware, Constance," she nodded, turning around again to continue her way. Constance didn't try hold her ex colleague from walking away.

And that would be the very last Cackle's ever saw of Imogen Drill.


End file.
